Is a car guy obligated to tell someone there's something wrong with their car?

I pulled up to the passenger's side of a late model Chevy Impala this evening in my 96 98. I noticed the 5 spoke stamped steel wheels on it and thought they were bad@$$!

https://www.ebay.com/p/1485947370

I noticed the rear wheel was missing a lug nut! As I honked the horn for them to roll down their window I noticed it was 2 young ladies. The gal in the passenger's seat rolled down the window. I just told them their rear wheel was missing a lug nut.

I hope they didn't think I was trying to be fresh or something. I don't care who it is, I just wanted them to know what was up with their car. Shortly after I told them the light turned green. I went right and they continued straight. Just thought I would share. Now I need to do some research and see if those wheels would fit my 96.

Had to edit it so it doesn't get closed/deleted.

 

You weren't obligated, but it was nice of you. It could also be for a brake light burned out, low tire or back door a jar.

 

Not to worry, you went right and they went straight. Kinda like two ships passing in the night never to be seen again. If you felt good about it the rest is irrelevant... Tedd

 

I agree and many times have alerted other drivers to a low tire, burned out tail light, and even a woman with the bottom of her dress hanging out the door.

 

Lots of time at work, people come in with trailers for plants or mulch. I will let them know that their lights are not working. One time I told a lady that all of her brake lights weren't working.

 

those wheels should fit your olds

 

OHHH YEAHHH!

I agree with what you gents have said. I was just trying to do the right thing.

 

There's no obligation to do the right thing anymore; hardly anyone does. Do it only if you want to do so.

 

I prefer to do the right thing when I see a safety-related problem. It could be someone you know getting hurt or worse due to a wheel flying off.
I am always amazed at how many people simply dont pay attention to their cars/trucks. You are either a car conscious person or your not.
However, I do understand budgetary concerns especially today. A visit to a dealer or garage will often result in a 4 digit bill for basic repairs! Let it go longer add more $$$.

I just got a quote for 1K to do 2 rear wheel/hub bearings on a 2015 Heep Cherokee, (SPELLED CORRECTLY!). If it needed pads and rotors add another 5 to that! Ridiculousness.
Guess what I did correctly the first time in the driveway Sunday for a tad over $200(not china junk) and 3 hours of my time??? Ill take that ~700 and buy beer n wings.

 

The only time I will generally mention things is if its life threatening or I notice something at a car show like lights and such to the owner.

 

No obligation
I think some people don't want to know or they know and ignore the issue.
I have been along side quite a few people tapping my horn,waving and saying hello to get their attention to let them know about extremely low tires. Some won't look and some look for a second then look ahead again.
Some of these tires appear to have about 10-15 pounds of air,I can't believe they don't feel the car sway,especially around turns.

 

I'll let someone know if I notice some safety risk with their car as long as I don't have to go way out of my way to do so. I'm not going to honk someone over on the freeway to let them know there's only 3 screws holding their license plate on. I focus more on encouraging awareness and courteous driving habits with fellow drivers. Like when I lay 2 patches of rubber around someone when they sleep at the green light more than 1.49 seconds is me saying, "Hey pal, wake up, there's people waiting to get somewhere behind you. Thanks man."

 

I totally understand the safety thing, but sometimes you have to keep the mouth closed and keep moving on.
the last thing you want is having to try fixing the problem.
i see people in the mall with the hood open and they ask if I have cables, I tell them sorry I do not and I don’t know what I’m doing. Better this way

 

That's an interesting point. Oldsguy and I were in Houston, TX with my 96 98 recently when we parked close to a gent with an SUV that wouldn't start. He asked if I had jumper cables. I did and I gave his SUV a jump successfully. I suppose the way people are now-a-days a stranger might try to hold you liable for their broken vehicle if you try to give them a jump and it's unsuccessful.

 

I'm not actually going to roll down my window and yell to someone unless it's something serious. Only time in the past 10 years I have done so was to let a guy know his camper trailer axles were smoking. I stopped a ways ahead of him and jogged back, he was CLUELESS as to what it could be. I explained that if he had electric trailer brakes, they were most likely stuck. I also told him to get on his phone and find the nearest auto shop, otherwise he risked his next stop on the side of the expressway being one for his camper burning to the ground.

 

I've yelled at the window at a few people (after convincing them to roll down their windows on the highway) to let them know that their hoods are open.

Also flagged down an OTR guy to let him know that all the wheels on his trailer bogey were locked up doing 70 mph on the Jersey Turnpike, creating quite the smokey mess.

Normally, though, I'll be the guy flashing people to hopefully tell them to turn ON their headlights when it's dark out....

In the end, those can be boiled down to my own safety and that of me vehicles, along with others on the road.

 

You mean you haven't been killed as part of a gang initiation ritual?

 

Not as far as I know.